


Protective Coloration

by amy1705



Category: White Collar
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-05
Updated: 2012-03-05
Packaged: 2017-11-01 07:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amy1705/pseuds/amy1705
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The conman was a master of plausible distractions and protective coloration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protective Coloration

Blend in so you don't stand out or be so resplendent in a different direction that they don't look elsewhere. You can guess which path Neal chose to distract prying eyes and wondering minds from the true nature of his relationship with the Burkes. 

Neal hid the one (okay, two) among the many. He had a different attractive twenty-something on his arm every month. Like clockwork, he would have three dates with each new piece of arm candy. When questioned, he would say “Why limit yourself to one aisle of the whole candy store. So many treats to sample.” 

He was June's plus one often enough to cause whispering that he was HER arm candy. A nice treat she kept near by to sample whenever she wanted. He just smiled and said “What the lady wants, the lady gets.” What the lady really wanted, and got, was Mozzie.

Perhaps once a month he would accompany his partner's wife Elizabeth to one of her many Friday night events while her husband worked late. He would stay the night as the Burkes were tender hosts who cared for his well being a great deal. 

Saturday was usually spent working the current case with Peter. Neal would also assist them with around the house chores that better suited two, or three, people. They frequently “flipped the mattress” to help it wear evenly. Peter and Neal would conscientiously work together all evening if Elizabeth had another party. Inevitably, Agent Burke would insist on working late into the night, so Neal would be obliged to stay over again.

On Sunday, Neal repaid his host's hospitality by accompanying them to the farmers market and then cooking a scrumptious meal for them complete with a decadent dessert. Since Peter was not as young as he used to be, Neal would make sure his partner had a restful afternoon watching sports while Neal helped Mrs Burke “clean up.”

On these Monday mornings, when asked about his weekend, Neal would cheekily reply, “Peter was a slave driver and made me do all the heavy lifting this weekend.” Agent Burke would retort “Someone has to make sure you behave.” Hughes would just chuckle and wander back to his office, secure in the knowledge that Neal is being shown a better way of life by Peter and Elizabeth Burke.


End file.
